<<

Philosophical Magazine Series 1

ISSN: 1941-5796 (Print) 1941-580x (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tphm12

XXIII. Notices respecting new books

To cite this article: (1822) XXIII. Notices respecting new books , Philosophical Magazine Series 1, 60:292, 135-145, DOI: 10.1080/14786442208652804

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14786442208652804

Published online: 29 Jul 2009.

Submit your article to this journal

Article views: 2

View related articles

Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=1phm20

Download by: [New York University] Date: 22 June 2016, At: 05:54 ~otic'es resj~ecti~zg New Book's. 135 are buried beneath beds of blue clay, earth and sand, from 80 to 100 feet in thickness. Some of the indurated and flat- tened stones belonging to or immediately in contact with this stratum, contain well-preserved specimens of Astarte, Pecten, Cardimn, Terebratula plicam, large Serpula, Troehus, Nucula ? and a small pyritous ammonite with foliated septa. In the clay substratumare boulders of strong dark blue clay, in which the fossils assimilate to those of the clay in the environs of . Shm'ks' teeth, Tellina, Cardia, and Am- monites communis, have been figured in Smith's " Strata identified by organized Fossils," collected from the indurated clay nodules of Happisburgh cliff. From clay boulders at Overstrand cliff I have obtained Gryph~ea with unusually ttfick and gibbous valves. A species of Ostrea or Gryphma is also found here renmrkable fbr having its valves chalcedonized, and the internal cavity filled with dark-coloured silex. These shells are perlhctly white, very thick and tunfid, and fi'om fbur to five inches long. Altimugh I have seen many specimens, all have been considerably rounded by attrition upon the beach, and I do not know of any that have been discovered in situ and uniujured. As these memoranda are the result of a single examination of a portion of our strata which is little known, they will, I trust, be received as such. Subsequent inquiry will doubtless add much to the geologic information here collected, and will probably occasion another communication, in some thture Number of the Philosophical Magazine, from Norwich, Aug. 14, 18~°. RICHARD TAYLOR.

XXlII. Notices resyecting New Books. t)ART I. of The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal So- ciety of London, for 1822, has j ust appeared : the following are its contents :

Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 I. The Bakerian Lecture. An Account of Experiments to determine file Amount of the Dip of the Magnetic Needle in London, in August t821 ; with Remarks on the Instruments which are usually employed in such Determinations. By Captain of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, F.R.S.--II. Some Positions respec~cing tile Influence of the Voltaic Battery in obviating the Effects of the DMsion of the Eighth Pair of Nerves. Drawn up by A. P. Wilson Philip, M.D.F.R.S. Edin. Communicated by B. C. Brodie, Esq. F.R.S.--III. On some alvine Concretions found in the Colon of a young Man in Lancashire, after Death. By J. G. Chil- dren, 136 Notices respecting New Books. dren, Esq. F.R.S. &e. &e. Communicated by the Society for promoting Animal . mIV. On the concentric Ad- justment of a triple Object-glass. By William Hyde V(ollas- ton, M.D.V.P.R.S.mV. On a new Species of Rhinoceros found in the interior of Africa, tile Skull of which bears a close Resemblance to that found in a Fossil State in Sibelia and other Countries. By Sir , Bart. V.P.R.S.~VL Ex- tract of a Letter from Captain Basil Hall, R.N.F.R.S. to William Hyde Wollaston, M.D.V.P.R.S. containing obser- vations of a Comet seen at Valparaiso.--VI[. Elements of Captain Hall's Comet. By J. Brinkley, D.D.F.R.S. and M.R.I.A. and Andrew's Professor of Astronomy in the Uni- versity of Dublin. In a Letter addressed to Vv'. H. V/-ollas- ton, M.D.V.P.R.S.--VIII. On the electrical Phmnornena exhibited in vacuo. By Sir , Bart. P.R.S. ~IX. Croonian Lecture. On the anatomical Structure of the Eye ; illustrated by microscopical Drawings executed by F. Bauer, Esq. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S.~ X. A Letter from , Esq. Astronomer Royal, to Sir Humphry Davy, Bart. President of the Royal Society, re- lative to a Derangement in the Mural Circle at the Royal Ob- servatory.--XI. On the finite Extent of the Atmosphere. By x6rilliam Hyde Wollaston, M.D.V.P.R.S.--XIL On the Ex- pansion in a Series of tbe Attraction of a Spheroid. By James Ivory, M.A.F.R.S.--XIII. On the late extraordinary De- pression of the Barometer. By Luke Howard, Esq. F.R.S. ~XIV. On the anomalous magnetic Action of hot Iron be- tween the white and blood-red Heat. By Peter Barlow, Esq. of the Royal Military Academy. Communicated by Major Thomas Colby, of the Royal Engineers, F.R.S.~XV. Obser- vations tbr ascertaining the Length of the Pendv.lum at Madras in the East Indies, Latitude 13 ° '~' 9",1 N. with the Conclu- sions drawn ti'om the same. By John Goldingham, Esq. F.g.S.~XVI. Account dan Assemblage of Fossil Teeth and Bones of Elephant, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Bear, Tiger,

Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 and Hymna, and Sixteen other Animals ; discovered in a Cave at Kirkdale, Yorkshire, in the Year 18~I : with a comparative View of five similar Caverns in various Par[s of England, and others on the Continent. By the R ev. ~Vm. Buekland, F.R.S. F.L.S. Vice-President of the Geological Society of London, and Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in the University of Oxford, &e. &e. &c.--XVII. Comnmnication of a curious Ap- PFearance lately observed upon the Moon. By the Rev. Fearon allows. In a Letter addressed to John Barrow, Esq. F.R.S. ~XVIII. On the Difference in the Appearance of the Teeth and the Slmpe of the Skull ill different Species of Seals. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S. The Tredgold on the Strength (f Casl-h'on, ~S-c. 137

M practical Essay on the Strength of Cast-h'on, intendedfor the Assistance of Engineers, Iron Masters, Architecls~ Mill- wrights, Founders, Smiths, and others engaged in the Con- struction of Machines, Buildings, ~'c. containing practical t~ules, Tables, and Examj~les ; also an Account ~" some new ]Zxperhnenls, with an eovtensive Table of the Properties of Materials. illustrated by 3'bur Engravings. By Thomas Tredgold, Civil Engineer; Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers ; Author of Elementary Principles of Car- pentry; the Artiele JotNEa¥ in the Supplement to the/~n- cycloTcedia Britannica, &c. 8vo. pp. 192. 12s. A work of the nature which Mr. Tredgold has now pro- duced has long been a desideratum with English engineers; and it is but justice to say that the author has well executed the task lie had imposed on himself The work is divided into seven sections : The first section consists of introductory remarks on the use and qualities of east-iron, and of cautions to be observed in employing it. This section is followed by two extensive tables, which will often save the practical man a considerhble share of trouble in calculation. The second section explains the arrangement and use of the tables which precede it. It is a common and a well understood fact, that an uniform beam is not equally strained in every part, and thereibre may be reduced in size, so as to lessen both the strain mid the ex- pense of materiM. The third section points out the value of east-iron in this particular, and the forms to be adopted fbr different eases. The fourth section contains a popular explanation of the strongest forms for the sections of bemns; the construction of open beams ; and the best form tbr shafts. A due considera- tion of these two sections will enable the yomlg meehanie to guard against some common errors in attempting to apply

Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 these things to practice. The fifth section is wholly devoted to experiments ; it will be found to contain, in addition to the author's own experi- ments, almost all of the experiments on cast-iron that have been described by preceding writers. Those he has tried for the purpose of establishing rules, to apply in practice, have been made with a different view of the subject fi'om that enter- tained by preceding experimentalists; one better adapted for practical application, one which shows that, within the proper limits, our theory of the strength of matSrials is to be de- pended upon; but that beyond these limits materials should V,)I. 60. No. 292, Aug. 1822. S never 188 Nolices r~;si~eclb~" New Books. never be strained in constructions of any kind whatever. Ne- vertheless it would be extremely desirable that some accurate experiments on the extension of bodies should be made, when tile strain exceeds tile elastic force; as by that "means some- thing important regarding the ductility of matter might be

discovered; and perhaps they miehtc~ throw some light4¢ on the nature and arrangement of file ultimate particles oi bodies. In the sixth section he has shown how to obtain some of the most usefill practical rules from the first principles that are furnished by experience. He has conducted the investiga- tion of these rules in a mauner somewhat different from other writers, and has avoided the use of fluxions. Several new cases are investig.ated, and some addition is made to the theory of resistance; the reader will find examples of this in treating of tile strength of beams, art. 77 to 85 ; the deflexion of beams, art. 90 to 93 ; the strain upon beams, art. 96 to 104 ; the resistance to torsion, art. 2~2 to 2.o7 ; and tile re- sistance of columns, art. 230 to ¢46. In tim seventh section he has considered the resistance of beams to impulsive force. In this section will be fbund ninny important rules, with examples of their application to the moving parts of engines, bridges, &c. ; wherein the advantage gained by employing beams of the figures of equal resistance is shown. The seventh section is followed by an extensive Table of the Properties of Materials, and other'Data, ot[en used in Cal- culations, arranged, alphabetically. By means of this table the various rules for the strength of cast-iron, contained in the work, may be applied to several other kinds of materials. A note, which the author has added at tile end of the table, on the chemical action of some bodies on cast-iron, will be read with interest by those who employ cast-iron where it is exposed to the action of sea-water. Each plate is accompanied by a page of descriptive letter- press opposite to it, with references to the articles which the

Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 figures are intended to explain. And, in general, it will be tbund that the examples are se- lected with a view to explain the practical application of the rules; and to make the reader aware of the limits and pre- cautions to be attended to. In fact, the want of such informa- tion has often brought theory into discredit with some men, whereas the thult ought to have f~llen on the person that mis- applied it. In a note, the author acknowledges himself greatly indebted to Di'. T. Young for showing the necessity of attending to the strain which produces permanent alteration on the materials employed.~Nat. Phil. vol. [. p. 141. In Parkhzson on Fossil Organic Remains. 139 In another note the author, speaking of his reasons for avoiding the use of fluxions, expresses himself thus: " I have rejected fluxions in consequence of tile very ob- scure manner in which its principles have been explaiagd by the writers I have eonstflted on the subject. I cannot recon- cile the idea of one of the terms of a proportion vanishing for the purpose of obtaining a correct result; it is not, it cannot be good reasoning ; though, from other principles, I am aware that the conclusions obtained are correct. If the doctrine of fluxions be freed from the obscure terms, limiting ratios, evanescent increments, and decrements, &c. it is, in reality, not very difficult. If you represent file increase of a variable quantity by a progression (as is done in art. 249. sect. vii.) the first term of that progression is the same thing as what is called a fluxion ; and the sum of the progression is the same as a fluent. A fuxion is, therefore, the first increase of an increasing variable quantity; and the last decrease of a de- creasing one, and the expansion of a variable quantity into a progression, is the best and most clear comment that can be added to the lemmas of Sir ." We cannot too strongly recommend this work to the atten- tion of architects and prot~ssional engineers. There is not a useless word in it from beginning to end.

ztn Introduction to t~e Study of Fossil Organic Remains, espe- ciall, q of those found in the British Strata: intended to aid the Student in his h,quiries respecting the Nature of I;ossils, and their Connexion with the ~'ormation .of the Earth. 147th (10) illustrative Plates. By James Parkinson, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Member of the Geological So- ciety of London, the Wernerian Society of Edinburgh, and of the Cwsarian Society of Moscow. 352 pages, 8vo. The author of this useful little volume, well known by his iPrevious labours on the interesting branch of science embraced n his title-page, in his prefitce dedicates the present pages Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 "to the service of those admirers of tbssils who have not yet entered into a strict examination of the distinctive characters of these interesting substances." In this slight but comprehensive sketch the author points out, with more precision than he takes credit for, the dif/hrence ef forms and structure in the numerous organized beings with which the earth was peopled before the creation of man; marking the severM circumstmaces in which they agreed with, or differed from, the inhabitants of the present world; and points out, from the strata in which they exist, the order in which they, probably, were formed ; avoiding however~indeed S "Z hi~ 140 Notices respecting ~¢ew Books. his limits obliged him--a full statement of those minute distinc- tions which are the objects of research of the more advanced inquirer ; but enough is stated to enable the student to detect the more decided and more important characters of these sub- stances, and to place them under their appropriate genera; so that we hesitate not to state that the work will be found a use- ful Vade Meeum for the intelligent traveller who may not yet have attempted these inquiries.

The Naturalist's Guide for collecting and preserving all Subjects of Natural History and Botany, intended for the use of Students and Travellers, by W. Swainson, F.R.S. and L.S. This is a very well executed and usefifl work, as might be ex- pected from the well known experience and zeal of the author. The Exotic Flora: containing Figures and Descriptions of new, rare, or little-known Exotic Plants; by W. J. Hooker, LL.D. &e. Part I. Royal 8vo. An Epitome of Chemistry, wherein the Principles of that Science are illustrated in 1000 Experiments; by the l~ev. J. Topham, M.A. 12too. 3s. 6d. A New and Classical Arrangement of the Bivalve Shells of the British Islands ; by "VV.Turton, M.D. 4to. With Twenty Plates, drawn and eoloured tkom original specimens in the author's cabinet. 4l. A View of the Present State of the Seilly Islands : exhibit- ing their vast Importance to Great Britain, and the Improve- ments of which they are susceptible; by the I{ev. George Woodley. 8vo. With a Chart. 12s. Hortusdl~licus; or, the Modern English Garden ; arranged according to the System of Linn*eus; with Remarks on the Properties of the more valuable Species. 2 vols. 12mo. 16s. The Study of Mediehm, comprising its Physiology, Patho- logy, and Practice; by John Mason Good~ M.D. 4 vols. 8VO. A System of Anatomy for the Use of Stu~!ents of Medicine ;

Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 by Caspar Wistar, M.D. ~ vols. 8vo. oOs. Zoological ttesearehes in the Ishmd of Ja~ca, &c. With Figures of Native Quadrupeds and Birds ; by Thomas Hors- fie]~t, M.D. No. IV. Cto. 21s. t~reparing for Publication. A Translt~tion of L%endreoe ~ s Elements of Geometry Is* m ° the press, ~nd will be published in a few weeks. It will be edited by Dr. Brewster, under the sanction of M. Le Chevalier LegeMre, who has communicated several important additions. The diagrams are engraven on wood, so as to aecomp.a.ny the proposmons-- Anal#sis of Periodical Works on Zoology and Bota~oe. 1-M propositions--a great superiority over file original work, where they are given in copper-plates at the end of the book. Mr. Hogg has in the press, a new Edition, with considera- ble improvements, of his " Concise and Practical Treatise on the Growth and Culture of the Carnation, Pink, Auricula, Polyanthus, Ranunculus, Tulip, and other Flowers." S.~lva Britannica; or Portraits of Forest Trees in different parts of the Kingdom, remarkable for their size, beauty, or antiquity, to be drawn and etched by J. G. Strutt, will speedily be published.

ANALYSIS OF PERIODICAL ~,VORKS ON ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY. In our future Numbers we hope to devote a larger por- tion of our attention to ZOOLOGY and BOTANY than we have hitherto done, and give our readers an abstract of the contents of such periodical works as relate to these two branches of science. In the first, there are very few; but in the second, the press is more prolific; and from both we shall subjoin to our report (for which we are indebted to able correspondents) the characters of such new genera as have been proposed, and such new species as are for the first time made known. Swainson's Zoological ilh~strations. No. 23. This work continues to support its high reputation, both on account of its copious supply of new and interesting subjects, and of the able manner ill which they are illustrated by the pen and pencil of the author.--To the ornithologist, this is a very rich number, as it contains four plates of birds, two of which are new, and the others of species but little understood. Trochilus ensipcnnis. T. aureo-viridis ; mento juguloque cmruleo-violaceis ; rectricibus paribus ; a]is falcatis remigum prirnorum scapis dilatato-compressis.--MAnlWA~: Amer. Merid. Platyrhgnchus cancrom~a; the female bird, a very curious species, thus characterized: P. supr£ olivaceo-fuscus, infr,~ pa]hde• x fulvus; jugulo...... albo; gems penmsque spurns In~ns,.* o Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 strig~ ante et pone oculum, macul~que auriculari albentibus. •Hab. in Brasilia. The other birds are : ~am_phastos dicolorus and Mascipeta barbara. Mr. S. appears to have paid much attention to the generic characters of Platurllgnchus and M~s- c@eta Cuv. (M~lscicapa Linn.), and fi'om his observations, it appears these generic groups can only be separated by cha- racters in some degree artificial. The only conchological subject, is the following new and very beautiful cone. Conus pulchellus : testfi aurantiacfi, fasciis albis interruptis ornatfi; spiroc subdepress0e, anfractibus su- turam 142 Analysis of_Periodical Works turam juxta simplieiter suleatis ; suturfi alveat~; base granona. From Amboyna. Sowerbdfls Gene~'a of Shells. No. 7. No letter-press accompanies this number; the plates of which refer to the genera Chama. Isocardia Lam. (the type of which is the Linn~ean Chama Cor.) h'idina Lain., Solemya Lam., Limnea and Ph2qsa. From the two latter plates it appears Mr. G. B. Sowerby pro- poses to unite tile genera Limnea and Physa. This however will not be consistent with the structure of their respective animals, which are widely different; and we would rather see a greater adherence to tlle original definitions of Cuvier and La- marck in an elementary work of this nature. Mineral Conchology by M?. J. Sowerby. No. 63. We are glad to see this interesting and valuable work con- tinued with so much spirit. In this number Mr. Sowerby apparently very accurately figures three species of the modern genus Cancellaria, and gives their English (why not Latin ?) specific distinctions, and a generic character. This latter ap- pears to us not so concise or clear as might be wished ; and we would rather have seen a transcript of Cuvier or Lamarek's definition, particularly as the genus was instituted by the latter. The species consist of C: quadrata, evnlsa, (Buccimtm e~dsum of Brandon,) and l~eviusc~da. All from Barton and Hordwell cliffs in Hampshire. P1. 362. Corbula nitida and cuspida, from the Isle of\Vhite, and C. complanata, from the crag at Roydon. Three species apparently undescribed; likewise Mya gregaria, an unequivalve shell, which, if ascertained to be fluviatile, must, as Mr. S. ob- serves, be removed from this genus. P1. 363. 3I~/a arenaria, apparently the same as the recent species. P1. 364. Oslrea carinata, with six well drawn and interest- ing figures of this curious tbssil shell. Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 The Monthly Botanical Works are as follows: The Botanical Register. This has the very great advantage of being enriched by the contributions of our illustrious botanist Robert Brown, Esq., mad possesses a decided excellence in the ample dissections given of the generic characters, and the co- pious descriptions of the species. The 90th number contains P1. 61.1. Caladh~m odorum, a genus separated fi'om drum by Mr. Brown. Pt. 642. Brach~sema undulatum. The second species of this ~enus vet known, recently broue'ht from New South Wales, characterized as follows: B. tol:is ellipticis uu- dulatis on Zoologlzj and B~fan~. 145 dulatis mucronatis, vexillo oblongo, cordato, supr~'~ convoluto, obtusato. PI. 64.3. Melea semTervirens , Wild. PI. 644.. Me- lastoma heteromalla, a new species of this extensive group figured on a double plate. Sv. CH. M. foliis cordato-ovalibus integerrimis petiolatis subtus flocculoso-lanatis ; petalis obcor- datis, antheris basi arcuatis. Don. 3ISS. PI. 64.5. Pol#gala latifolia, another new and very elegant species from the Cape. Pol. (div. Cristata~) fruticosa, ramis pubescentibus, folils decus- satls subcoriaceis glauciusculis nervosis rhombeo-ovatis, ob- latis, suprd nudis, infr.4 villosiusculis, racemis umbellatis, an- theris barbfi longfi rar~ divaricat~ ad basin. P1. 64.6. Marica irid~blia, a small but elegant species. We wish to see the beautiful natural order of Ensatce more thlly illustrated in this work, since it is well known that the gentleman by whom it is at present conducted, has paid long and very particular atten- tion to these plants. P1. 646. StenocMlus maeulatus; this is an elegant and very singular plant, recently brought from New South Wales, distinguished thus: Stem caule ramisque sericeis erectis, folits spathulato-v, ligulato-lanceolatis, flore plurimum brevioribus, pedunculis flexuoso-declinatis ; staminibus paul5 exsertis. Curtis's Botanlcal Magazine. No. 4.27. Price 3s. 6d. P. 2338. Hybrid productions are more interesting to the florist than to the botanist; we shouldtherefore wish to see them excluded from this, as well as the last-mentioned work. It must be, however, conibssed, that the one on this plate (formed of Crinum capense et erubescens) is a very fine plant. At P1. 2337, we have the same species of Melastoma as appears in this month's Register ; a coincidence not to the ad- vantage of either of the works, or to the public. If the dis- sections had been added, we should prefer the present figure, as being more like the plant. Following this is Hibbertia dentata, Brown and Decand. In this article Dr. Sims pays a most flattering, but truly merited, compliment to the eminent

Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 talents of Mr. Brown. Burchellia bubalina (capensis of Brown, in Bot. Register, P1. 466.), a genus named after that enterprising traveller and eminent botanist Mr. Burehell. We do not agree with Dr. S. on the impropriety of changing specific names when a plant is, by common consent, removed to another genus, provided the change will be a decided improvement. P1. 2348. The white variety of _Pamaria cava; and the next (a double plate) con- tains an elegant figure of Poterium caudatum of Willd. with an interesting outline of the whole plant. ecl'a- 144 Anal qsls of Perlodieal Wo~'ks Geraniaeece, or the Natural Order of Geraniums, by R. Sweet, F.L.S. This work belongs more to the florist than the botanist ; for out of the four plates in this number, only one represents a real species, the Pelargonh~m Cotjledonis of VVilld. This plant is formed into. a new genus, by the name of Iso- Tetalum Cotyledonis, of whmh the following are tile characters: GE~. CH. Cal. 1-sepalus, 5-partitas, laeinia suprema desi- nente in foveolum neetarii~rum. Pet. 5 ~equalia rugosa. Stam. tubo brevissimo : 5--6 fertilia patentia apice incurva ; sterilia in~equalia subulata incurva. - S1)~.c.CH. I. pedunculis pro- liferis: umbellis compositis, foliis cordafis peltatis rugosis pu- bescentibus subtus tomentosis, cattle crasso carnoso. In a work like the present, intended more fbr amateurs, it would have been much better had the Latin characters been rendered into English; and those given to the mule plants left out altogether, as being equally useless both to the botanist and to the cultivator. A'Monograph of the British Grasses, by G. Graves, F.L.S. No. 1. This is a very useful and a very cheap publication, got up with great neatness, and the plates on much better paper than the last three works. Indeed, while on this subject, we would strongly recommend the publishers, both of the Register and Magazine, to pay a few shillings more per ream for their plate paper ; for the beauty of the figures is greatly lessened by the letter-press being seen through the thin paper they now use for the plates. Of this work, the first number contains twelve plates, at the price of 4s. 6d. plain, or 6s. coloured. The de- scriptions are intelligible to every one, and the work alto- gether promises to become a particularly useful one, as being within the reach of the farming community. Loddiges' Botanical Cabinet. No. 64. Price 2s. 6d. It is a great pity this neat an'd moderate priced little work does not contain either botanical characters or synonyms; Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 these additions would render it as valuable to the botanist, as it now is to the cultivator: From this cause we are unable to ascertain those which are already described. The designs and the engraving of the plates are very neat and accurate~ but we think the portions of each which are coloured, should be done with more care. We should then strongly recommend this work to.... young persons fond of flower drawing, ,.as offering them a pleasing and an improving oecupatmn in finislnng and colour- ing the plates, according to the portion which is done in each. l~'lora Londinensis.--We m'e happy to learn that arrange- ments Roqal Academy o/'Scienccs in Paris. 1¢5 ments are made for the continuance and regular appearance of this national work on the Indigenous Botany of this King- dom; and from the eminent and v;ell-known talents of the Editor, Dr. Hooker, Regias Proibssor of Botany at Glasgow, the public may rest with confidence on the intrinsic merit it will possess.--The last number of the New Series contains the following : Osmunda regalis--2gf~tosotis a@estris Aristolochia Clematitis--~bchlearia o~cbmlis 3lelamfiyrum sjlvaticum~ Cheiranthus Cheiri. Dr. ttooker's Exotic _Flora has not come to our hands, but will be noticed in our next. We regret that a suspension has oecurred in the publication of Mr. Lindley's Collectanea Botanica. We hope this has only been occasioned by temporary circumstances. It is a work highly interesting to the scientific botanist, and reflects both credit and honour on the author ; the plates contain the most ample dissections of the essentM parts of each flower; the descriptions are copious, and interspersed with many in- teresting observations. The intention of the work is to in- elude such only of our botanical novehies as have not already appeared in the publications of the day.

XXIV. Proceedings of Learned Societies.

ROYAL ACADE31Y OF SCIENCES IN PARIS.

M. GEOr~'ROY ST. HILAIRE stated that an animal from Se- negal, called Gr@art by Buffon, and _Fclisfltbata by Linnwus, had arrived live at the Jardin des Plalztes. M. du Petit Thouars read a memoir entitled " New Ob- servations on the removal of a complete circle of bark." M. Arago announced that the earthquake which took place in the western part of France was also felt in Paris. The register of magnetic observations at the observatory, un-

Downloaded by [New York University] at 05:54 22 June 2016 der the 31st of May 18'22, at a quarter past eight o'clock in the morning, states as follows: " The needle oscillates ra- pidly, and like a pendnlum, ti'om east to west: consequently, the reason of this motion is independent of magnetism." M. Cuvier read a memoir on a new gemls of fossil animals raised fi,om the coal-mines of Cadibona, near Savona, wtfieh he calls dntracot,herima. M. Dum6ril reported on M. Sigalas's memoir; according to which, the mesenteric veins are endowed with the absorbent faculty for certain substances other than chyle, as M. Magen- die had before stated. The niemoir has been approved. Vol. 60. No. o~92. ~4tN 182~2. T ~i. Am-